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MapleStory celebrates its seventh anniversary with experience bonuses and cake monsters

Matt Daniel — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MapleStory, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play

Do you feel lucky, MapleStory players? You should, because Nexon is celebrating the game's lucky seventh anniversary, and the studio is passing the good fortune on to the players with a series of in-game events and double experience weekends.

For the duration of the month, players will be treated not only to double experience and drops every weekend, but they'll also be able to take part in events such as the Maple Rising Star Contest, which requires players to complete tasks to show support for their favorite NPC contestant. And of course, no anniversary would be complete without a visit from the deliciously vicious Cake Boss monster, which combines a challenging battle and a tasty treat into one mutant monstrosity. To put the icing on the proverbial cake, Nexon has released a short anniversary trailer that recaps the major MapleStory events of the past year, so put on your party hats and join the festivities after the cut.

[Source: Nexon America press release]

Continue reading MapleStory celebrates its seventh anniversary with experience bonuses and cake monsters

MapleStory celebrates its seventh anniversary with experience bonuses and cake monsters originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Events, in-game, Expansions, Free-to-play, Alganon

Citing "unforseen circumstances," the team at QOL has announced that Alganon's Rise of the Ourobani expansion will be delayed until the fourth quarter of this year. "After evaluation of the project, it was decided that more time was needed in order to do some critical bug fixes as well as to spend more time on certain areas and features of the expansion in order to do the best work possible," the devs wrote in the April newsletter.

Rise of the Ourobani will feature the playable titular race, a brand-new continent to explore, a Warden combat companion, PvP, and flying mounts. To soften the blow of the expansion's delay, QOL has released several sneak peek pictures and videos.

Even though the expansion is a ways away, players have a reason to log in now, as Alganon is preparing a double-XP weekend from April 20 through the 23rd.

You can watch Rise of the Ourobani flying mounts in action after the break.

Continue reading Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend

Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive: Star Trek Online announces EU relaunch, double XP weekend

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Launches, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play

Star Trek may feature universal translators, but the crew at Cryptic has to make do with old fashioned techniques until the future catches up with us. As such, the studio has announced that it is relaunching Star Trek Online in Europe to support its French- and German-speaking players.

Starting right now, the game, website, forums, and game support will be available in all three languages. To further cater to European players, Cryptic has vowed to add more EU-friendly event timeslots.

Executive Producer Dan Stahl hopes this will spread STO across the world: "The launch of Star Trek Online in Europe is the culmination of our efforts over the past several years to bring gamers the Star Trek universe on a truly massive scale."

All players can benefit from this European relaunch, as Q's coming back to celebrate with a double-XP bonus weekend. Anyone who logs in from today through Monday, April 2nd, at 1:00 p.m. EDT, will not only benefit from the a skill point and bridge officer point boost but can claim a free IDIC Tribble of his or her very own. The Tribble provides a unique buff to your character based on his, her, or its class -- and if you manage to get all three buffs on you at once, you'll be granted an additional boost to damage, resistance, and health regen.

[Source: Cryptic press release]

Massively Exclusive: Star Trek Online announces EU relaunch, double XP weekend originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion's Rallying the Troops event begins Feb 27th

MJ Guthrie — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, Expansions, Patches, News items

If the recent news about Aion's upcoming conversion to free-to-play has sparked your interest or you had left previously but want to pop back in for a little look-see, NCsoft is offering the perfect opportunity to do just that! Starting February 27th, Rallying the Troops will allow Daevas and Daevas-to-be to jump into the stunning world of Atreia for free, getting a head start on preparing for the much anticipated 3.0 patch, Ascension.

Each player, whether new, returning, or currently subscribed, will receive bonuses during that time, including double XP, a 30% boost in AP, and crucible insignias. New recruits need only make an account to begin playing a free extended trial. Returning veterans will play for free through March 12th. All those currently serving, along with the returning veterans, will benefit from more medals and relic loot drops from fortresses.

As an added incentive, everyone who subscribes by March 12th will receive a free set of Daevanion armor. If you have ever had the desire to check Aion out, there is no time like the present... starting Monday, of course.

Aion's Rallying the Troops event begins Feb 27th originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Party tonight, for tomorrow we fly: Champions celebrates its F2P anniversary

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Promotions

A year after making the switch to decaf, er, free-to-play, Champions Online is livelier than ever. To celebrate the super-powered boost that F2P gave, Cryptic Studios is hosting special events both in and out of the game.

From today through the end of the month, players can enjoy a hefty 20% discount on anything in the C-Store (excluding grab bags). So if you've been eying that special outfit or archetype, now might be the time to nab it.

If you're not looking to spend any money but don't mind partying with the stars, there's plenty of fun to go around. For the rest of the anniversary event, characters can fly through the levels due to a double XP boost at their backs, courtesy of Witchcraft. Another hero, The Mountain, will be selling Halloween and Winter Gift Bags with in-game currency. Mr. The Mountain also has a special mission for those who want to earn his trademarked Mountain Costume pieces.

Party tonight, for tomorrow we fly: Champions celebrates its F2P anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double, double your excitement (and XP) with Aion's winter festival

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Promotions

You know what's annoying? When people break out Christmas songs after the holidays. I mean, who wants to hear cheerful songs about winter when we can just wallow in the atmosphere of grey slush and sub-zero days in peace? Stupid cheer, get out of here! We want to drink deeply of the well of seasonal affective disorder!

You know what's not annoying? When developers recognize how dull the first couple months of the year are, holiday-wise, and invent their own cause for celebration! Aion is breaking out all the stops with this year's Atreian Winter Festival, and that includes insatiably cheerful penguins and scantily clad avatars.

For the next three weekends (starting today), players will enjoy double XP and drops in Aion from Friday at 1:00 p.m. EST until Monday at the same time. There's also an "adorable" -- their words -- Daru fur costume that you can purchase in the game store for $10 and flaunt to all your friends at the lodge after a long day on the slopes.

Double, double your excitement (and XP) with Aion's winter festival originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flyff's V18: Renaissance patch buffs Baruna weapons, brings bonus XP

Jef Reahard — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Flyff, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons

If you were waiting on Flyff's V18: Renaissance update to check out gPotato's long-running MMO, well, you can stop waiting! The patch brings three new dungeons, over 100 new quests, and 60 new weapons to the free-to-play fantasy title. If that's not enough to wet your whistle, the devs are also running a couple of celebration events and giving away free items (not to mention double XP) just for logging in.

The dev team has also updated Baruna items by adding new enhancement options that "mold them into powerful weapons capable of empowering their owners against the most elite opponents," according to gPotato.

Be sure to log in today and take advantage of increased sunstone and moonstone drops, and don't forget to head to the official Flyff website to read all about the new patch. Finally, take a look past the break for the latest Flyff community Q&A video.

[Source: gPotato press release]

Continue reading Flyff's V18: Renaissance patch buffs Baruna weapons, brings bonus XP

Flyff's V18: Renaissance patch buffs Baruna weapons, brings bonus XP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double XP weekends coming soon to an Aion server near you

Jef Reahard — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Aion, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items

It's a good time to be an Aion fan, what with the recently released 2.7 update adding some new content to the world of Atreia and the buzz surrounding the forthcoming 3.0 patch building day by day. It's also a good time to return to Aion if you've been away for a while, as NCsoft is throwing a gaggle of bonuses your way over the next few weeks.

Every weekend from now through December 6th, you'll enjoy double gathering, crafting, and slaying XP. There are also time-played bonuses that reward arena tickets, enchantment stone boxes, and manastone boxes in two-, four-, and six-hour increments each day. Finally, the Daru Days festival starts on November 23rd, and daevas who are willing to complete the Daru quest series will receive a Silver Fur Daru clothing set for their trouble. Head past the cut to see NCsoft's new Aion promotional video (if you dare!).

[Source: NCsoft press release]

Continue reading Double XP weekends coming soon to an Aion server near you

Double XP weekends coming soon to an Aion server near you originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pick up a GhostX Ultimate gift pack from GameKiss and Massively

Rubi Bayer — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Contests, Free-to-play, Giveaways

GameKiss made some waves yesterday by announcing its new title GhostX Ultimate. What makes it worthy of the "ultimate" moniker, you ask? GameKiss is hoping you'll jump into the game and find out for yourself, and they've sweetened the pot with a gift code.

The team at GameKiss has given Massively a gift code to pass along to 75 of our readers. The code grants a VIP rookie package containing nanobot starter materials, double XP coupons, and some special equipment at levels 1, 7, and 15. To get a gift code, simply go to Shopping Town in the game, find the Gift Giver, and enter code MMORPG2436.

The code will work for the first 75 people to apply it, so check out GhostX Ultimate with your new goodies, and have fun!

Pick up a GhostX Ultimate gift pack from GameKiss and Massively originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tell me a fairy tale: ClapAlong launches Warriors Saga

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-play, Browser

Keeping your eye out for a neat Asian-themed MMO? ClapAlong has a new prospect for you: Warriors Saga. Inspired by Eastern fairy tales, Warriors Saga immerses the player in Asian folklore by placing an emphasis on interactive storytelling.

The free-to-play browser MMO boasts a wide variety of gameplay features, including pet training, "polymorphic transformation," real-time combat, and an automatic quest navigation system. GPS for MMOs? Maybe!

Warriors Saga launched its first server, Asgard, yesterday and is hosting several events to celebrate the release. Players participating in the first week will enjoy a double XP bonus, gift vouchers if they purchase gold, and free gold if they share word of the game to their friends on Facebook.

Tell me a fairy tale: ClapAlong launches Warriors Saga originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prius Online releases Stronghold of the North expansion

Jef Reahard — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons

A couple of weeks ago we told you about Prius Online's new Stronghold of the North expansion. The content was slated to release sometime in October, and today we're finally able to report that it is in fact live and available for you to download.

Stronghold adds 500 quests, three new dungeons, two exotic mounts, and a new item upgrade system that "allows players to design their own gear with powerful stats and a unique appearance that suits their character," according to the latest gPotato press release.

That's not all, either, as the expansion brings new looted gear and a new city-based venue for guild siege warfare. Finally, gPotato is offering up a double XP weekend to celebrate all the new content. From October 28th through October 30th, players can look forward to XP bonuses, double drop rates, and welcome back bundles for returning players that include combat enhancers and premium item upgrades. Check out some of the new gear (and the two mounts) in our gallery below.

[Source: gPotato press release]

Gallery: Prius Online

Prius Online releases Stronghold of the North expansion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archlord celebrates its second anniversary

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Previews, Free-to-play

If you haven't guessed by now, we here at Massively love MMO anniversaries. They're always great opportunities to celebrate a game's success and achievements, particularly in a field where it is so hard to get long-lasting titles off the ground. So we raise a glass to Archlord as it marks its second anniversary today.

To celebrate this achievement, Webzen has a few treats in store for its players. Starting off, all Archlord players will enjoy two weeks of double XP, double drops, and double charisma points. If double XP isn't fast enough for you, then you can pop over to the special training server, where characters can be leveled up extremely fast and then transferred back to regular servers if they reach level 40 or higher. This training server will be up for a month, and Webzen is planning to hand out special in-game items for those who take advantage of it.

Archlord has a new raid dungeon in the works for December called Battle Square, and is preparing a new chapter in its storyline that will go live at the same time.

[Source: Webzen press release]

Archlord celebrates its second anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SOE readying EverQuest II double XP weekend

Jef Reahard — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Crafting

Pick out your favorite grind spots, adventurers (and tradeskillers too, for that matter), as Sony Online Entertainment is trotting out an EverQuest II double experience weekend starting on Friday, September 2nd. The XP smorgasbord will end on Monday, September 5th, so if you've got no plans for the Labor Day weekend as of yet, why not spend a portion of it in Norrath?

It's as good a time as any to check out the new itemization revamp that debuted with the recent GU 61 patch, and don't forget that the bonus applies to alternate advancement experience as well. More details are available via EQ2Wire and the official EQII website.

SOE readying EverQuest II double XP weekend originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon releases new MapleStory map and two new classes

Jef Reahard — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MapleStory, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

MapleStory's Big Bang patch series is reloading for a second round of content updates, and this time the new stuff includes a new map, two new classes, and a new story.

Nexon's free-to-play fantasy side-scroller now features the Wild Hunter and Battle Mage classes, which players can commandeer in an effort to stem the tide of the relentless Black Wing menace that threatens to destroy the Resistance. Surprisingly, the Battle Mage isn't a bring-up-the-rear kind of DPSer like most mages you may have met. Nexon's press release says he'll be "the first into danger, placing himself between his teammates and the forces of darkness."

The Wild Hunter, on the other hand, is very much a keep-'em-at-range kind of gal who "will shoot down her targets with deadly accuracy [while riding] on the back of a jaguar." MapleStory will also be featuring another Hot Time event on August 6th, so mark your calendars and be sure to log in, grab an SP reset scroll and get some double XP. Finally, don't forget to click past the cut for a couple of videos focused on the new classes.

Continue reading Nexon releases new MapleStory map and two new classes

Nexon releases new MapleStory map and two new classes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double XP coming to EverQuest II this weekend

Jef Reahard — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

Citizens of Norrath, mark your calendars! Bonus experience is coming to EverQuest II this weekend and you'll want to be sure to avail yourself of what the EQII website calls a "true double XP promotion (+100% XP)."

The bonus applies to adventure, tradeskill, and alternate advancement experience, so don't leave your crafter alts or level-locked and AA-starved characters out in the cold. Double XP starts at 12:01 a.m. PDT on Friday, July 29th and runs through 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sunday, July 31st. It's also good across all the game servers including the free-to-play EQII Extended shard and French, German, and Japanese realms.

Double XP coming to EverQuest II this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double experience weekend postponed for City of Heroes

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Events, in-game, News items

Were you looking forward to heading out for a spin this weekend in City of Heroes and enjoying the promised double experience weekend? If so, well, we have some bad news for you. As it turns out, rather than giving players a chance to double their pleasure, this weekend will see experience rewarded at the usual rate after all. A bug has apparently cropped up in testing that has resulted in the weekend being postponed until the middle of August.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course -- to test the new build and ameliorate the bad news, the development team will be hosting a series of task force runs on the test server this Wednesday. Still, it's a shame to see one of the most popular recurring events in the game delayed due to technical issues. Here's hoping that the next set of dates go off without a hitch.

Double experience weekend postponed for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes bonus weekend coming July 28th

Jef Reahard — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, MMO industry, News items

Break out those City of Heroes alts, as there's a double XP event looming large over Paragon City next week. The festivities kick off at 9:00 a.m. Pacific on Thursday, July 28th, and the party continues through 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, July 31st.

In addition to the XP smorgasbord, you'll be happy to know that your characters can double their pleasure when it comes to Inf and Prestige as well, so dust off those semi-retired superheroes and get ready to gorge them on NCsoft's sweet, sweet bonus event. Catch up on all our City of Heroes coverage while you wait, and don't forget to visit the CoH website for the official announcement.

City of Heroes bonus weekend coming July 28th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New summer events on tap from Angels Online

Jef Reahard — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

Angels Online recently added a new server, and now the team at IGG is gearing up for a series of special summer events designed to bring players more content. First up is a leveling contest that runs from June 23rd to July 21st. The six players who attain the highest level on the new Nyx server by 1:00 a.m. EDT on the 21st will walk away with some significant rewards including a grand prize level 100 armor set and 100,000 in-game coins.

IGG is also hosting a double XP event that runs from June 23rd through June 30th on the new shard. Finally, the new Summer Breeze promotion features fruit-themed outfits that "let you show off your summer style and take advantage of huge power boosts," according to an IGG press release.

Angels Online is free-to-play play, and you can download the game at IGG's official website.

New summer events on tap from Angels Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos Europe attracts 250,000 players in two weeks, throws double XP weekend

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 13 May 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Events, in-game, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play, Races

It's only been 15 days since Mythos Europe launched, but the resurrected action MMO is already seeing impressive results. According to Frogster, over 250,000 players have jumped into the game for some hectic hack-n-slash fun.

The company also provided some revealing statistics as it monitored its quarter-million playerbase. Apparently, the most popular class is the Bloodletter (40% of players), followed by the Pyromancer (32%) and Gadgeteer (28%). A full third of the playerbase chose the human race, with 28% going over to the Gremlins, 27% to the Satyrs, and 15% to the Cyclops. Finally, 66% of the characters created are male. So if you want to be a rarity, rolling a female Cyclops Gadgeteer is the way to go!

To celebrate this auspicious milestone, Frogster is rewarding its enthusiastic players with double XP for quests and monster kills this weekend. You can catch all of Mythos' double XP action from now until Monday at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

Mythos Europe attracts 250,000 players in two weeks, throws double XP weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion preparing Asmodian faction incentives

Jef Reahard — Fri, 13 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items

The 2.5 patch isn't the only thing coming to Aion's live servers this month. NCsoft is preparing a faction incentive program designed to entice players to roll Asmodian characters on both North American and European shards.

Asmodian avatars at level 10 or higher will receive Berdin's Amulets, which grant 50% more XP from hunting, gathering, and crafting for a period of one hour (with a one-hour cooldown period after activation). Gateway Getaway events will also happen more frequently, and Asmodian characters will be granted entry to Abyss instances despite Elyos ownership of the forts.

Finally, fortress siege incentives will be handed out on a weekly basis, with additional medals being awarded based on which forts are conquered. In short, there's never been a better time to roll an Asmodian alt or convince your friends to join you on Aion's dark side. Head to the official web site for more info.

Aion preparing Asmodian faction incentives originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest II offers 10 houses per character, double XP and Station Cash this Saturday

Jef Reahard — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items

Player housing. Say it with me, folks.

Plaaaaaayer housssssssing.

Yes, some games still have it. More importantly, some players still want it. EverQuest II is one of a dwindling number of games that does it right (or at all really, if we're talking about recent MMOs), and yesterday's update expanded Norrath's housing functionality even further. Players can now own up to 10 separate homes (yes, 10), provided they meet the in-game and/or account-related prerequisites in each case.

There's also a spiffy new fast-travel functionality associated with the housing boom. In a nutshell, players can place portals in any house or guild hall to which they have trustee access, enabling all sorts of nifty networking opportunities between Norrath's various cities. When coupled with the newly introduced prestige house offerings, domestically inclined EQII buffs should have plenty to do for awhile. In case you need a break from all the furniture-making and decorating, Sony Online Entertainment is throwing a 24-hour double Station Cash (and double XP) bash tomorrow. The event runs from 12:01 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on April 30th.

EverQuest II offers 10 houses per character, double XP and Station Cash this Saturday originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lineage II's 7th anniversary kicks off with three weeks of events

Brendan Drain — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lineage 2, Culture, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items

It's sometimes hard to believe that the MMO genre is already over a decade old. Lineage II celebrates its 7th Anniversary this month, demonstrating an impressive longevity that not all MMOs can hope to match. To celebrate, NCSoft has three weeks full of events planned for current and ex-players of the game. Starting today and lasting until May 4th, all expired Lineage II accounts have been temporarily reactivated for free. During this time, any subscription purchases will be rewarded with special in-game anniversary rewards such as a chest full of gear or a pitch black version of the 7th anniversary cloak.

During the first week of the celebrations, players will benefit from free teleports at gatekeepers and double experience and skill points from monster kills. Extending the celebrations for a third week, an anniversary letters event will run from April 27th until May 11th. Players will sometimes find letter blocks when hunting monsters. Special rewards will be available for players who collect enough letters to spell out the words "NCSoft" or "Lineage II."

On April 27th and May 4th, the highest level characters on each account will be gifted with anniversary gift packs full of goodies. All characters above level 80 will also get an impressive-looking blood red endgame cloak on April 27th. For more details head over to the official announcement on the Lineage II website.

Lineage II's 7th anniversary kicks off with three weeks of events originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RuneScape March update schedule revealed

Jef Reahard — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, RuneScape, Free-to-play

Lest you think this week is all about exclusive GDC news and the launch day of a little fantasy title that you might've heard of, Jagex has given us a heads up regarding its planned update schedule for RuneScape.

The month of March will see several game tweaks, and first up is the Elemental Workshop IV quest and the Artisan's Workshop (which will bring an update to the game's smithing skill). Bonus XP is coming as well, with an entire weekend devoted to leveling up twice as fast (or half as long, however you'd like to look at it). Either way, mark your calendars for March 11th through March 13th.

Finally, Jagex will be updating the Ring of Wealth, trolls and Trollheim visuals, and adding a new Clockwork Syringe quest that features "home insurance claims, a hazing interrogation, long drops, vengeful seagulls, Barrel Busters, and a boatload of zombio-mechanical madness," according to a Jagex press release. Head to the official RuneScape website for further details.

RuneScape March update schedule revealed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double XP returning to Aion, kicks off February 23rd

Jef Reahard — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

Every day is a good day for double XP, particularly in grind-heavy games like NCsoft's Aion. Even though players of the Korean import enjoyed a week of bonus experience just recently, the powers-that-be are turning a benevolent eye towards Daevas yet again. In addition to the progression double dip, Aion will feature a Gateway Getaway event that will enable players to enter instances regardless of faction fort ownership.

If you've been unable to run Besh for awhile due to those nasty Asmodians/Elyos hogging the ground forts, you'll be happy to know that from Wednesday, February 23rd through Wednesday, March 9th, you're free to enter Silentera Canyon (and Upper Abyss forts and Abyssal Splinter) whenever you darn well please. The double XP runs through the same dates, so mark your calendars and check out the official Aion website for all the details.

Double XP returning to Aion, kicks off February 23rd originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aika Online opens its doors to Europe

Jef Reahard — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, News items, Free-to-play, Aika

European players rejoice! Aika Online is officially throwing open its doors to the old world with today's "Europe, We're Up" celebratory kickoff. The week-long festivities include double experience and a contest that gives players the opportunity to snag $10,000 in prizes. Logging into Aika also makes you eligible to receive powerful premium items like 3x and 4x experience scrolls.

Today's update also sees a new dungeon introduced to the game. The Prison Despero will test the mettle of Aika's elite players and offers a chance to earn a new level 70 armor set.

Aika is a fantasy MMORPG from the creators of Neo Steam. The game features five warring nations vying for control over the world of Arcan and its massive castles, priceless relics, and various battlegrounds.

Aika Online opens its doors to Europe originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft offers Aion double XP olive branch over server outages

Jef Reahard — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, PvP, News items, PvE

The thunderous roar you just heard was the sound of thousands of Daevas clapping their hands, stamping their feet, and beating the air with their wings in unison. You may have even heard a few huzzahs and hell-yeahs tossed in for good measure. Why all the fuss? Double XP is returning to Aion. In fact, it's already here, as NCsoft turned on the firehose this morning at server restart.

The bonus runs through next Wednesday, and instance timer lockouts have also been reset (i.e., if you ran Taloc's Hollow last night, feel free to run it again today rather than 46 hours hence). The sudden rash of goodwill stems from the server outages this past Wednesday, many of which occurred during prime time and forced Daevas to seek their entertainment elsewhere.

You can read the official announcement on the Aion website.

NCsoft offers Aion double XP olive branch over server outages originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Item-swap controversy hits MapleStory Europe

Brendan Drain — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Kids, Family

To celebrate the new year, MapleStory Europe recently launched a sale on various cash shop items. Among the discounted items was a series of double experience cards lasting for varying durations, each marked at 15% off the usual price. It wasn't long before players noticed that Nexon had listed the 24-hour double experience card with an expiry time of 90 days instead of of 24 hours. Players flocked to the item shop in droves to take advantage of this amazing deal, many suspecting that the item must have been a mistake. Sure enough, Nexon noticed the mistake after a week and removed the item from the sale.

What followed next has had players in outrage on the MapleStory Europe forums. Nexon removed all of the 90-day double experience cards players had bought in the sale and replaced them with 24-hour versions set to expire the following day. Some players have been voicing their support for the decision, saying that it was obvious that the item had been mis-priced. Others have been less forgiving, pointing out that they wouldn't have bought the item had it not been such a fantastically good deal, and suggesting that Nexon has done this kind of thing before. The game's terms of use agreement has even been cited as an argument that items bought must be honoured up to their purchased due date. Nexon issued an official apology earlier today for the incident but has stood by its decision to remove the offending cards from the game and has not yet issued any refunds for the replaced items.

Item-swap controversy hits MapleStory Europe originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Producer's letter for City of Heroes hints at the future and promises big improvements

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Previews, News items

It's the start of a new year, one that already promises to be an exciting one for fans of superheroic MMOs. DC Universe Online is launching tomorrow, Champions Online will be going free-to-play early this year, and City of Heroes is not sitting down either. In what we hope might be a new monthly tradition, fans have been treated to a brand-new producer's letter that looks back at the year before and begins peering ahead to the next 12 months while also hinting at some of the more interesting new additions to the game.

Among the more interesting revelations are the promise of a double XP weekend this month, as well as more information regarding Praetoria's Hamidon when PAX East rolls around. The development team is also hoping to step up its communication this year, both from well-known members of the team and from some of the newer talent with less public exposure. While another expansion might not be in the works for City of Heroes in the near future, fans can take a look at the full letter on the site and rest easy -- it promises to be a very interesting year.

Producer's letter for City of Heroes hints at the future and promises big improvements originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft hypes Aion double crafting XP and holiday events

Jef Reahard — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Happy Solorius Festival, Daevas! Yes, the Atreian equivalent of Christmas is back, and you can join the ongoing Aion celebration through January 5th. You'll find new quests in both Sanctum and Pandaemonium, as well as rewards that include decorative hats, gift bundles, and buff consumables.

Mid-winter and New Year's marks the Year of the Ribbit celebration, and festivities include even more quests and rewards (including new ribbit outfit pieces). The party starts December 22nd and lasts through January 12th.

Finally, NCsoft is turning on the double XP spigot again, this time in honor of Atreia's crafters. Friday, December 17th through Monday, December 20th is a prime time for catching up on any artisan activities you may have been neglecting, as double XP for crafting, essence-tapping, and aether-tapping will be in full effect.

NCsoft hypes Aion double crafting XP and holiday events originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft reactivating Aion accounts, doubling XP

Jef Reahard — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Time to dust off your wings, former Daevas, as you're invited back to the world of Atreia on NCsoft's dime. If your account was inactive as of December 1st (and you've got a retail code applied and haven't been banned), you're eligible to play Aion for free through 8:00 a.m. PST on December 13th.

NCsoft has also extended the double XP period for the entire duration of the reactivation event (as opposed to two weekend periods). Soul healing discounts of 99% will still happen on the weekend as originally announced. Finally, instance timers have been considerably reduced. For example, Kromede's Trial now features a four-hour lockout timer (in place of the usual 22). Check your timers with the /checkentry command for more details.

NCsoft reactivating Aion accounts, doubling XP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double your pleasure with Aion double XP

Jef Reahard — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Thinking of dusting off one of your Daevas? If you've got a long-neglected alt, if your main has stalled on the cusp of level 55, or if you've just been away from the world of Atreia altogether, you'll probably want to take advantage of Aion's upcoming double experience weekends.

From December 3rd through December 6th (beginning and ending at 12:00 p.m. PST on both days), you can double your pleasure with double XP on both mobs and quests. If that's not enough, you can also enjoy 99% off soul healing costs from December 4th to December 5th (12:00 a.m. PST - 11:59 p.m. PST) as well as December 11th to December 12th (at the same time slot). Check out the official Aion site for all the details.

Double your pleasure with Aion double XP originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Perfect World is back to the Kung Foo! dojo

Larry Everett — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, Free-to-play

Back in February (yes, we know it's hard to remember that far back) Perfect World Entertainment announced that it was pulling the highly anticipated martial-arts MMO Kung Foo! out of beta. The game's developers believed the game needed some rehabilitation to recover from some devastating injuries inflicted by the opinions of the beta testers.

Today, the game zen masters have announced the free-to-play RPG has re-centered its qi and is now known as Legend of Martial Arts. The game now features an all-new look and feel, not to mention a variety of new quests and content. LOMA is also pleased to announce a new race called the Reavers, who, of course, have a brand new starting zone.

Closed beta for the new design starts on November 24th. Each player who who helped out in the Kung Foo! beta will receive not only an automagic invitation to the closed beta but also a Gold Prize -- an item that grants one day of double XP -- for his or her first character created in open beta. For more detail check out the official Legend of Martial Arts website.

Perfect World is back to the Kung Foo! dojo originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Craft of Gods patch adds quests, dungeon, recurring events

Jef Reahard — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Craft of Gods

It's been a while since we've checked in with Craft of Gods, a free-to-play MMORPG based on Slavic mythology and produced by the Russian game studio known as Cyberdemons. We figured post-patch day is as good a time as any, and the latest update to the Kalicanthus Entertainment title has brought about a slew of changes including new quests, new dungeons, and revamped newbie areas.

Cyberdemons has also added recurring in-game events that include a special PvP cave featuring boss key drops and loot chests, named events featuring special named mobs at various locations in the game world, and a weekly mob-focused double experience event.

Take a look at the official patch notes for the full list of fixes, tweaks, and additions.

Craft of Gods patch adds quests, dungeon, recurring events originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Tattered Notebook: The dual nature of double experience

Jef Reahard — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

Once upon a time I used to write about a grindy game. That game was called Aion. Eventually I dumped... er, gracefully handed off coverage of said game to the lovely and talented MJ. It wasn't that it was a bad game; I actually played it for over six months and enjoyed most of my time there, so much so that I still log in every few weeks. The grind did me in though, and it was only on those occasions when the double XP fairy left her intoxicating present under my pillow that I was ever really happy in the world of Atreia.

Fast forward a few months to EverQuest II, and the first double XP weekend on my watch has just concluded, leaving me bleary-eyed and wasted due to chasing those dings all Labor Day weekend long.

Once upon a time I wrote a column praising the virtues of double XP in that other game, but now I'm here to tell you that in the world of Norrath, it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: The dual nature of double experience

The Tattered Notebook: The dual nature of double experience originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold -- crafting

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

Last week, we first dipped into the realm of max-level gold armor in Aion by exploring Anuhart and PvP armor sets. This week, we will look at what is available on the crafted market, as well as prepare to begin the journey of the Miragent quest line (sorry folks, but it will be quite a while before my new little Asmodian can follow along and chronicle the Fenris quest line).

If you have the (mis)fortune to need or want one of these two sets more than anything - and we really do mean anything -- you could be in for a long, arduous, and expensive journey. But no pain, no gain... right? Trust me, now is the time to take advantage of any extremely wealthy and generous friends who are begging you to take their kinah. Or, find and cultivate a kinah tree somewhere in Atreia. Short of that -- save, save, and save! Then save some more, and cross your fingers for some good drops to sell.

Hold on to your kinah while you can, then join me past the break to see where it will soon be going should you desire crafted gold gear.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold -- crafting

Wings Over Atreia: Going for the gold -- crafting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MAG patch 1.07 due out next week

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Patches, PvP, MMOFPS, MAG

MAG's next patch, due out next week, will bring some very welcome free updates to players. While the full patch notes aren't available yet, the MAG team has provided a short list of updates to hold fans over for a bit.

MAG v1.07 will bring a number of fixes, content changes, and additions to the game, including a new happy hour feature. Happy hour is a double XP bonus that's applied to the first hour of every player's gaming session in a 24-hour period, giving you a little boost to start off with.

You'll also find better lighting, redesigned maps, a new faction neutral Supression gameplay mode, and new code that allows for faster patching. Check out the current patch notes on the MAG site, and keep an eye out for the complete notes, available nearer the time of the update.

MAG patch 1.07 due out next week originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion free account reactivations, double XP incoming

Jef Reahard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

Dust off your wings and brush up on your flying technique, as NCsoft is picking up the tab for your return to the world of Atreia (at least for a weekend). Beginning Friday, July 30th at 11:00 a.m. EDT, all inactive Aion accounts will be reactivated free of charge. If that's not enough to excite the daeva in you, double XP will be in effect as well. Both promotions conclude Monday, August 2nd at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

Whether you're coming back to check out the game revisions included in the 1.9 patch, grabbing a few levels in preparation for 2.0, or just looking to kill time and catch up with some old friends, it's hard to beat the price and faster advancement to boot. Read the full announcement at the official Aion website.

Aion free account reactivations, double XP incoming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need For Speed World takes off July 27th

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sports, Launches, Free-to-play, Need for Speed World

Fast cars. Expensive gas. Gaudy spinners. Fuzzy dice. A lead foot. Radar detectors. EA is set to provide all of these and more when Need for Speed World launches next week. A release date of July 27 has been announced, and will be available via digital download for all hot rod enthusiasts.

Of course, if you can't wait to settle into the driver's seat, you can get into the game today by pre-ordering the Need for Speed World Starter Pack. Apart from the benefit of early access, pre-orders will get their hands on exclusive cars, be fueled with double XP, and have the ever-so-elite "VIP" tag added to their driver profile from now on. The Starter Pack also includes an allowance of NFSW's in-game currency for a shopping trip if one so desires.

A trial of the game will become available next week as well, offering a free sample of NFSW up through level 10 to any and all who mosey by. EA is obviously crossing its fingers that NFSW will go the distance and not break down on the side of the road like Motor City Online, but so far, things are looking up for this title.

Need For Speed World takes off July 27th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More double XP on tap for Aion

Jef Reahard — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

Remember how NCsoft said prior to the 1.9 patch that there wouldn't be any more of their patented Aion double XP weekends for awhile? Well forget all that as this Friday, June 11th, marks the beginning of yet another scrumptious smorgasbord of sweet, sweet experience for your level-hungry Daevas.

We're not sure what changed their minds (and frankly we don't care as long as the spice keeps flowing), but one thing we are sure of is that the event has caused us to rethink our weekend gaming plans. When combined with the hefty repeatable quest XP rewards littering the landscape around Heiron post-patch, we'd be remiss for not scarfing up as much as humanly possible. We might even, gasp, approach max level.

All that aside, you can check out the press release over on the official Aion website.

More double XP on tap for Aion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWG offers bonus xp, new player house

Jef Reahard — Fri, 28 May 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, News items, Star Wars Galaxies

Star Wars Galaxies is pulling out all the stops in an attempt to rope former subscribers or the casually interested back into the game. The long-running sandbox title pushed Hotfix 16.11 to the live servers yesterday, and with it an event called Bonus Everything Weekend.

From now until until Tuesday, June 1, players will accrue double XP, double Galactic Civil War points, double Battlefield and Invasion tokens, double Chronicles XP, double Chronicles Silver Tokens, and an increased chance to earn Gold Chronicles and Bonus Heroic Tokens. Grab your friends and enlist in the game's Heroic Encounters, as the Heroic Tokens can now be used to purchase the new Jabba's Sail Barge player house.

Check out all the details over at the official site.

SWG offers bonus xp, new player house originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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